In Michigan, a child can stop using a booster seat once they turn 8 years old or reach 4 feet 9 inches tall, whichever happens first. That’s the Michigan booster seat age requirement under MCL 257.710d, and it applies to every driver carrying a passenger under 13.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 257.710d – Child Restraint System
When Kids Move Into and Out of a Booster
The booster stage in Michigan runs from age 5 to age 7. A child moves out of a forward-facing harness seat and into a belt-positioning booster at age 5, or earlier if they’ve outgrown the harness seat’s manufacturer weight or height limits.2State of Michigan. Legal Update No. 162 They stay in the booster until they hit either exit threshold: turning 8 or reaching 4 feet 9 inches tall.3State of Michigan. Child Passenger Safety
These rules took effect April 2, 2025 with clearer age tiers written into the statute.3State of Michigan. Child Passenger Safety The driver, not a parent riding as a passenger, is legally responsible for making sure every child under 13 is properly restrained.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 257.710d – Child Restraint System
Height or Age, Whichever Comes First
The two exit criteria work independently. A tall six-year-old who has already reached 4 feet 9 inches can legally use a seat belt alone. A shorter child who has just turned 8 can also legally stop using the booster, even if they’re still under 4 feet 9 inches.3State of Michigan. Child Passenger Safety
The manufacturer’s limits on the booster itself matter too. Every booster carries a label with an approved weight and height range. Even after your child meets Michigan’s age or height threshold, they can stay in the booster as long as they’re within the manufacturer’s limits.4State of Michigan. Traffic Laws FAQs
Where the Booster Goes in the Car
Michigan requires any child in a child restraint to ride in the rear seat when one is available.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 257.710d – Child Restraint System This carries through the booster stage and even into the seat-belt-only stage for kids 8 through 12.
There is an exception for larger families. When all rear seats are already taken by other children, a child in a booster may ride up front.2State of Michigan. Legal Update No. 162 If you put a booster in the front seat, push the seat as far back from the dashboard as it will go to reduce airbag risk. There’s no requirement to deactivate the passenger airbag for a forward-facing booster; that requirement applies only to rear-facing car seats.4State of Michigan. Traffic Laws FAQs
Boosters Need a Lap-and-Shoulder Belt
The statute requires the booster to be secured with a lap-and-shoulder belt.4State of Michigan. Traffic Laws FAQs A booster raises the child so the shoulder strap crosses the chest instead of the neck; a lap-only belt can’t do that.
If your rear seats include a position with only a lap belt, which is common in older vehicles and on some middle-row bench seats, place the booster in a seating position that has the full three-point belt.
When the Legal Minimum Isn’t the Safest Choice
Meeting the Michigan threshold doesn’t automatically mean the seat belt fits your child correctly. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping children in a booster until the vehicle’s lap-and-shoulder belt fits properly across the chest and hips, which for many kids doesn’t happen until closer to age 10 to 12.
A quick belt-fit check: the shoulder belt should cross the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck, and the lap belt should sit low across the hips, not ride up over the stomach. If either fails, the booster is still doing important work even if the law would let your child move out of it.
Penalties for a Violation
Failing to properly restrain a child is a civil infraction, not a criminal offense.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 257.710d – Child Restraint System The base fine runs $10 to $20, but court costs of up to $100 and a mandatory $40 justice system assessment stack on top, so a ticket can realistically run over $100.
No points are added to your driving record, and no abstract of the violation is sent to the Secretary of State.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 257.710d – Child Restraint System The penalty is financial only. Insurance companies can still discover the citation and factor it into a policy review, but the impact tends to be much smaller than for speeding or an at-fault accident.
Help Paying for a Booster
Michigan’s Office of Highway Safety Planning runs a car seat distribution program for low-income families, providing seats through local check events and fitting stations staffed by certified child passenger safety technicians.5State of Michigan. Car Seat Distribution for Technicians The seats are federally funded, can’t be sold, and each child can receive one of each type.
To find an event, contact your local police department, fire station, or hospital and ask what’s coming up. Many events also offer free installation help, which is worth taking advantage of: a booster in the wrong position or paired with the wrong belt gives up much of the protection it should provide.